Oil-cake-trimming machine.



PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905.

A. W. FRENCH. OIL CAKE TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9,1901

3 SHBETS SHEBT 1 j liven-2 :1:

florn ya'.

PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905.

A. W. FRENCH.

OIL CAKE TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC 9. 1901.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905.

A. W. FRENCH. OIL CAKE TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION PILBD- 1030.9, 1901.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. VII/4711 11474 ALFRED WV. FRENCH, OF PIQUA, OHIO.

OlL-CAKE-TRIIVIIVIING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed December 9. 1901. Serial No. 85.173.

f a/IZ whom, it may concern.-

-Be it known that I, ALFRED W. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Piqua, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oil- Oake-Trimmirig Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for trimming oil-cakes to remove the soft marginal portion of the cakes, which is undesirable on the cakes and which contains more or less oil which it is desirable to recover by again pressing such soft portion. The cakes vary in size and are more or less irregular in form. In United States Patent No. 655,337, granted to me August 7, 1900, is described a machine for this purpose which comprises, briefly stated, a pair of primary rotating cutters between which the cakes are fed and which remove the soft end marginal portions of the cakes, a conveyer which receives the cakes after the end edges have been trimmed and feeds the same in a direction at right angles to the line of feed between the primary cutters between a pair of secondary rotating cutters, said primary and secondary cutters being yieldingly mounted, so as to follow the irregular outline of the cakes and remove the softportions thereof.

One of the objects of the present invention is to produce a machine for this purpose equipped with stationary knives which will automatically follow the outline of the hard portion of the cakes and remove all of the soft marginal portions of the same without cutting away the hard part.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic feed mechanism for successively carrying the cakes past the primary and secondary trimming-knives.

' A further object of the invention is the production of a simple and desirable machine for the purpose stated.

in the accompanying-drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking from the right of Fig. 2. Fig. i is an enlarged fragmentary inside elevation of one of the primary trimming-knives and associated parts. Fig. 5 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the knife-block on the line 6 6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section through the knife-block on the line 7 7, Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan View of the secondary knife and associated run parallel sprocket-chains a.

parts. Fig. 9 is an elevation thereof. Fig. 10 is a section through the gage device on the line 10 10, Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a section through the pivot-post for the knife-arm on the line 11 11. Fig. 5. Fig. 12 is a horizontal section through the pivot-post on the line 12 12, Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a section through the gage device on the line 13 13, Fig. 8.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the supporting-frame for the primary feed-table B and the secondary feedtable O, which is arranged in rear of the primary feed-table and on a horizontal plane below the plane of the primary feed-table by somewhat more than the thickness of one of the oil-cakes. The primary feed-table is provided near its sides with raised guide-rails 7), extending in a backward and forward direction, between which the cakes are confined while moved rearwardly on the feed-table, and the secondary feed-table is provided with similar raised guides 0, which extend in a direction at right angles to that of the guides b of the primary feed-table.

' The primary conveyer shown in the drawings for feeding the cakes to the primary trimming-knives is constructed as follows: D

represents a horizontal sprocket-shaft jour' naled in suitable bearings at the front of and below the primary feed-table, and D represents a second sprocket-shaft journaled parallel with and in rear of the shaft D in the frame A. Said shafts are respectively provided with spocket-wheels (Z and d, on which The upper runs of these chains travel in depressed guideways 6' in the feed-table, so that their upper faces are substantially flush with the top of the feed-table, and they are connected by transverse feed-slats E, which move on the feed-table and shove or push the oil-cakes along thereon to the cutters.

F represents a frame of any suitable construction arranged over the primary feed- .table and having its opposite ends secured to the raised guides thereon and. bridging the intervening space and being raised or spaced from the table. To the front of this frame are secured'vertical stop-rods f, the lower ends of which are spaced from the top of the feed-table only sufiiciently to permit the passage of one oil-cake at a time beneath the same on the table. The stop-rods are preferably adjustable vertically on the frame by setscrews 7, so that they can be set to suit the thickness of the cakes. The cakes are piled on the primary feed-table in front of and against the stop-bars f, which hold all of the cakes but the lowermost and permit the feedslats to successively shove the bottom cakes beneath the stop-bars and carry the same to the primary trimming-knives.

The primary trimming-knives (shown at G) are arranged one at each side of the primary feed-table and are carried at the rear ends of yielding supporting-arms H. Each supporting-arm is preferably pivoted at its forward end on a vertical pivot-post it. so as to swing in' a horizontal plane inward between the cake-guides and outward beyond the inner edge of the guides, which are cut away at 9, adjacent to the arms, to permit this outward movement. Each arm is held yieldingly inward or toward the cake, as'by a spring it, coiled about the pivotpost and having one end thereof engaging the knife-arm and the other end secured to an adjusting-collar [L2 on the pivot-post. In order to adjust the tension of the spring to exert the desired pressure on the knife-arm, the collar is rotatable on the pivotstud and is provided with a holding-tooth If, adapted to enter either of a series of notches it in the upper face of a shoulder on the pivotpost on which the collar rests. By lifting the adjusting-collar to disengage the holdingtooth from the notch the collar can be turned and the tooth engaged in any desired notch. The adjusting-collar is held down with the tooth in a notch by a jam-nut if, screwed on the pivot-post above the adjusting-nut. The knife-arm is provided with a stop-shoulder it, adapted to engage a cooperating fixed stop 71 on the table to limit the inward movement of the arm and normally hold the same in an inclined position. The knife is in the shape of a fiat blade, having a forwardly-facing chiseledge. It is held spaced from the inner face of the knife-arm by aspacing-block I, located between the knife and the arm. The knife is preferably placed in a depressed seat 0' in the inner face of the block, which holds the knife from turning on the block, and the knife and block are secured to the end of the arm by a bolt 2" passing through the several parts and provided with a nut 71 The block is held from turning on the arm by suitable means, such as flanges or lugs 71 projecting from the arm and embracing the block. The under front face of the block is inclined downwardly and rearwardiy at i and the table is provided with an opening 2' through the same below the block, into which the soft cake portion removed by the knife is directed by said inclined face. To prevent the severed material from wedging between the knife and knife-arm, the latter is provided opposite the cutting edge of the knife with an outwardly-bowed portion 2', which affords a clearance-space for the material.

The cakes are carried successively from the secondary conveyer in a direction at right angles to the line of feed on the primary table to carry the same between the secondary trimming-knives, which trim the side edges of the cakes. In order to prevent the rear edges of the cakes which overhang the rear edge of the primary feed-table from tilting or dropping prematurely on the secondary feed-table, and thus'interfering with the proper feeding of the cakes on one or both tables, a pair of holding-springs J are provided. These springs are secured at their forward ends to the forward portion of the stop-frame F and extend rearwardly over the primary feed-table. Their free rear ends bear down on the cakes as they are fed beneath them and hold the same squarely on the primary feed-table until the ends of the springs are passed. when the cakes drop onto the secondary feed-table. The secondary feed -table being below the plane of the primary feed-table permits the cake thereon to be moved beneath the over hanging portion of the cake on the primary table while the cake is held in a horizontal position by the holding-springs.

The secondary conveyer comprises a horizontal shaft K, journaled in suitable bearings at one end of the frame beneath the second ary table and a second shaft K, journaled parallel therewith in suitable bearings at the opposite end of said frame. The shafts are provided, respectively, with sprocket-wheels Z? in, on which runs a sprocket-chain L, provided with cross slats or stops Z for engaging the edges of the cakes. The upper run of the sprocket-chain travels in a depressed way Z in the secondary feed-table, so that the slats can slide on the surface of the table. The shaft K is the main or drive shaft of the machine and is provided at its rear end with a belt-pulley Z by which it is driven. Power is transmitted from the drift-shaft to the second sprocket-shaft of the secondary conveyer by the sprocket-chain L. The rear shaft of the primary conveyer is driven from the shaft K by suitable gearing, such as a gearpinion m on the shaft K, meshing with a pinion m on a counter-shaft M, journaled in suitable bearings on the frame parallel with the shaft K, the counter-shaft being provided with a bevel gear-wheel m which meshes With and drives a bevel gear-wheel on," on the rear shaft D of the primary conveyer.

The secondary trimming-knives for trimming the side edges of the cakes are shown at N N. Each knife is carried at the end of a supporting-arm O and is secured thereon and spaced therefrom by a spacing-block '0 in a manner similar to that already described in connection with the primary trimming-knives.

These arms are arranged in cut-away portions of the guides 0, are pivoted on vertical pivotposts 0, and are provided with devices for yieldingly holding them toward the cakes and limiting their inward movement similar to those described for the primary knives. The free rear end of each knife-arm O is offset outwardly beyond the pivoted end, which lies substantially in line with the inner face of the adjacent guide to provide a space for a gage device P. Each gage device comprises a plurality of horizontally arranged parallel separated blades 19, secured in a holder 19, which is pivoted at its forward end to the knife-arm by a vertical pivot-pin 2 The inner edges of the spacing-pieces for the gage-blades are tapered from their pivot p toward their rear ends. as indicated at 19 Fig. 8, so as to leave spaces between the blades increasing in depth from the pivot-pin toward the rear end of the blades. In operation the gage-blades are held by the knife-arm springs against the edges of the cake with sufficient force to penetrate the soft marginal portion nearly to the hard part of the cake, and they thus permit the trimmingknives to cut to the hard part, but not to cut into the same. The gage-blades thus govern the depth of the cut of the trimming-knives and cause the latter to follow the outline of the hard body of the cake. Q represents a set-screw working in a screw-threaded opening in the knife-arm and engaging the holder for the gage-blades. By adjusting the set-screw the gage-blades can be set nearer to or farther from the trimmings knife to predetermine the depth of cut of the trimming-knife.

The operation of the machine is substantially as followsi A pile of oil-cakes is placed on the primary feed-table with their long side edges against the front sides of the stop-bars f. The feeding-slats of the primary conveyer successively engage the lowermost cakes and shove the same from beneath the pile, which is held from rearward movement by the stopbars f. As a cake reaches the primary knives it engages one or both of the inwardly-inclined knife-arms. If it does not move centrally between the guides b, it will first engage one arm and be shifted thereby over against the opposite knife-arm. The knife-arms incline inwardly or toward each other sufficiently far to engage the opposite ends of the shortest cake and can swing outwardly far enough to permit the passage of the longest cake. The ends of each cake thus contact with both arms and force the same apart more or less against the tension of their springs. As the cake in passing bears against the knife-arms in front of the cutting edges of the knives carried thereby the latter are caused to follow the irregular outline of the cakes and are prevented from cutting beyond a certain depth, which is determined approximately by the distance which the knives are set inward from the carrying-arms. The cakes are successively carried by the primary conveyer past the primary trimming-knives and delivered on the secondary, feed-table with their length in the direction of travel of the secondary conveyer, the slats of which engage the ends of the successive cakes and carry the cakes to the secondary trimming-knives, which cut the long side edges of the same. As theside edges of the cakes are longer than the end edges, it is necessary to drive the primary conveyer relatively slower than the secondary conveyer,.-so that it will deliver the cakes only as fast as the secondary conveyer can carry them past the secondary knives. This is accomplished in the construction shown by making the links of the conveyer sprocketchains the same length, providing the sprocket-wheels of the primary conveyer with fewer teeth than the sprocket-wheel K of the secondary conveyer, and driving the shafts carrying said sprockets at the same speed. Any other suitable gearing may be employed. In passing the secondary knives the springs of the latter press the same inward and cause the gage-blades to sink into the soft edges of the cakes. The pressure is not sufficient to cause the blades to penetrate the hard body of the cakes, so that the gageblades follow the outline of the hard part, and thus cause the trimming-knives, which move therewith, likewise to follow the outline of the hard part and remove only the soft edge portion.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination with primary trimming-cu tters, and secondary trimming-cutters for the cakes, of a primary conveyer which carries the cakes past the primary cutters, a secondary conveyer which receives the cakes from the primary conveyer and carries them past the secondarycutters, and mechanism for driving said conveyers at relatively different speeds whereby the movement of the cakes is properlytimed for the primary and secondary cutters to act upon different lengths of mate rial, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a primary feedtable, of a secondary feed-table on a horizontal plane below that of the primary feed-table, means for feeding cakes on said primary feedtable, and means for holding the cakes horizontally as they pass from said primary feedtable to said secondary feed-table, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a primary feedtable, of a secondary feed-table on a horizontal plane below that of said primary feed-table, one or more flat springs arranged above said primary feed-table for holding the cakes horizontally as they pass from said primary feed table to said secondary feed-table, and means for feeding the cakes on said primary feedtable beneath said springs, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a primary feed-table,

a secondary feed-table on a horizontal plane below that of the primary feedtable,a primary conveyer for moving the cakes on said primary feed-table, a secondary conveyer movable in a direction at an angle to the direction of movement of the primary conveyer for feeding the cakes on said secondary feed-table, and means for holding the cakes horizontally as they pass from said primary feed-table to said secondary feed-table, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with means for movably supporting the cake, of a knife-support, a trimming-knife fixedly secured to said knifesupport, saidknife-support being free to move only toward and from the line of movement of the cake whereby the knife automatically follows the irregular edge of the cake, and a gage to limit the depth of cut of the knife, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with means for movably supporting the cake, of a knife-support movable only toward and from the line of movement of the cake, a trimming-knife fixedly secured to said support, means for yieldingly holding said knife-support toward the cake whereby the knife automatically follows the irregular edge of the cake, and a gage to limit the depth of cutof the knife, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a knife-support, a trimming-knife fixedly secured to said support, a conveyer for carrying the cake past said knife, said support being free to move only toward and from the line of movement of the cake whereby the knife automatically follows the irregular edge of the cake, and a gage to limit the depth of cut of the knife, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with means for movably supporting the cake, of a knife-support, a trimming-knife fixedly secured to said support, said support being free to move only toward and from the cake whereby the knife automatically follows the irregular edge of the cake, and a gage which contacts with the cake and gages the depth of cut of the trimming-knife, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a conveyer, of a trimming-knife, a support on which the same is fixedly secured and which is movable only toward and from the line of movement of the cake, and a part carried by said support and which contacts with the cake and gages the depth of cut of said trimming-knife, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with a cake-support and a conveyer for the cake, of a knife-support movable only toward and from the line of movement of the cake, a trimming-knife fixedly secured to said support for removing the soft marginal portion of the cake, and a gage device contacting with the cake where by the knife automatically follows the outline of the hard body portion of the cake, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination with a conveyer for the cake, of a trimming-cutter for removing the soft marginal portion of the cake, and a gage blade or blades movable with the cutter and adapted to penetrate the soft marginal portion of the cake to gage the depth of cut of the cutter, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination with a cake-support and a conveyer for the cake. of a knife-support movable only toward. and from the line of movement of the cake, a trimming-knife fixedly secured on said support, means for yieldingly holding said knife in cutting relation to the cake, and a gage device for limiting the depth of cut of said knife, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination with a cake-support and a conveyer for the cake, of oppositelyarranged knife-supports movable only toward and from the line of movement of the cake, trimming-knives fixedly secured to said supports and between which the cake is carried by said conveyer, means for yieldingly holding said knives toward each other, and gages for limiting the depth of cut of the knives, substantially as set forth.

1 1. The combination with a cake-support and a conveyer for the cake, of a yielding knife-arm movable only toward and from the line of movement of the cake and past which the cake is carried by said conveyer, and a trimming-knife fixedly secured to said arm adjacent to one end thereof and spaced therefrom, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination of a knife-arm, a block secured thereto and provided with a beveled front face, and a knife secured to said block, substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of a yielding knifearm, a stationary knife secured thereto and spaced therefrom, and one or more gageblades carried by said arm in front of said knife, substantially as set forth.

17. The combination of a yielding knifearm, a knife carried thereby and spaced therefrom, one or more gage-blades mounted on said arm, and means for setting said gageblades nearer to or farther from said knife, substantially as set forth.

18. In a cake-trimming machine, a gage for a trimming-knife comprising one or more blades arranged in the direction of movement of the cake and adapted to penetrate the marginal portion thereof, substantially as set forth.

l/Vitness my hand this 19th day of November, 1901.

ALFRED W. FRENCH. Witnesses:

E. N. CoFFEY, M. J. CHANDLER. 

